Okay, i'm stuck in college revising War poetry and slowly falling to sleep. Come on all you (ex-)english litrature students and you poets check these out...I thought i'd share some of the ones i'm studing, i'd like to know your thoughts on them actually. Tell me your favourite (favourite in the sence the subject doesn't have to be the possitive one - just the one you get the most out of) and what it is about it that you appreciate. Even care to explain the one you least like and why. Read carefully, think carefully and post carefully! Purposely not put in Wilfred Owens, 'Dulce Et Decorum est'... because i recon you'd all choose that one The Wind on the Downs I like to think of you as brown and tall, As strong and living as you used to be, In khaki tunic, Sam Brown belt and all, And standing there and laughing down at me. Because they tell me, dear, that you are dead, Because I can no longer see your face, You have not died, it is not true, instead You seek adventure in some other place. That you are round about me, I believe; I hear you laughing as you used to do, Yet loving all the things I think of you; And knowing you are happy, should I grieve? You follow and are watchful where I go; How should you leave me, having loved me so? We walked along the tow-path, you and I, Beside the sluggish-moving, still canal; It seemed impossible that you should die; I think of you the same and always shall. We thought of many things and spoke of few, And life lay all uncertainly before, And now I walk alone and think of you, And wonder what new kingdoms you explore. Over the railway line, across the grass, While up above the golden wings are spread, Flying, ever flying overhead, Here still I see your khaki figure pass, And when I leave the meadow, almost wait That you should open first the wooden gate. Marian Allen 1914 IV: The Dead These hearts were woven of human joys and cares, Washed marvellously with sorrow, swift to mirth. The years had given them kindness. Dawn was theirs, And sunset, and the colours of the earth. These had seen movement, and heard music; known Slumber and waking; loved; gone proudly friended; Felt the quick stir of wonder; sat alone; Touched flowers and furs and cheeks. All this is ended. There are waters blown by changing winds to laughter And lit by the rich skies, all day. And after, Frost, with a gesture, stays the waves that dance And wandering loveliness. He leaves a white Unbroken glory, a gathered radiance, A width, a shining peace, under the night. Rupert Brooke The Hero 'Jack fell as he'd have wished,' the mother said, And folded up the letter that she'd read. 'The Colonel writes so nicely.' Something broke In the tired voice that quivered to a choke. She half looked up. 'We mothers are so proud Of our dead soldiers.' Then her face was bowed. Quietly the Brother Officer went out. He'd told the poor old dear some gallant lies That she would nourish all her days, no doubt For while he coughed and mumbled, her weak eyes Had shone with gentle triumph, brimmed with joy, Because he'd been so brave, her glorious boy. He thought how 'Jack', cold-footed, useless swine, Had panicked down the trench that night the mine Went up at Wicked Corner; how he'd tried To get sent home, and how, at last, he died, Blown to small bits. And no one seemed to care Except that lonely woman with white hair. SiegfriedSassoon
oh goodness...im soooo bored of revising this....i really not organised....im not doig either of those ones....i am doing : Dulce et decorum est... Anthem for doomed youth To my brother Aftermath In flanders fields For the fallen
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh wednesday war poetry noooo. hmmm quotes quotes quotes. this thread is good. um check out isaac rosenberg i thinks that's his name. he's got some really good war poetry.
I had a three hour exam on war lit. Is that what you guys are doing? There's some recent novels that are well worth checking out, and if you use them in your exam, it shows you're using your iniative. Check out Hamer's War by Francis Cottam
Ahh this brings back memories, I had to do the same exam as you for A Level. It's really very interesting, though I'm not sure I want to drag up those memories again by critically analysing any more war poetry! Perhaps one of my favourite poems of the period, even of all time is this one by Wilfred Owen: The Parable of the Old Men and the Young Wilfred Owen So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went, And took the fire with him, and a knife. And as they sojourned both of them together, Isaac the first-born spake and said, "My Father, Behold the preparations, fire and iron, But where the lamb for this burnt-offering?" Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps, And builded parapets and trenches there, And stretched forth the knife to slay his son. When lo! an angel called him out of heaven, Saying, "Lay not thy hand upon the lad, Neither do anything to him. Behold, A ram, caught in a thicket by its horns; Offer the Ram of Pride instead of him." But the old man would not so, but slew his son, - And half the seed of Europe, one by one....
To any dead officer Well, how are things in Heaven? I wish you'd say, Because I'd like to know that you're all right. Tell me, have you found everlasting day, Or been sucked in by everlasting night? For when I shut my eyes your face shows pain; I hear you make some cheery old remark-- I can rebuild you in my brain, Though you've gone out patrolling in the dark. You hated tours of trenches; you were proud Of nothing more than having good years to spend; Longed to get home and join the careless crowd Of chaps who work in peace with Time for friend. That's all washed out now. You're beyond the wire: No earthly chance can send you crawling back; You've finished with machine-gun fire-- Knocked over in a hopeless dud-attack. Somehow I always thought you'd get done in, Because you were so desperate keen to live: You were all out to try and save your skin, Well knowing how much the world had got to give. You joked at shells and talked the usual "shop," Stuck to your dirty job and did it fine: With "Jesus Christ! when _will_ it stop? Three years... It's hell unless we break their line." So when they told me you'd been left for dead I wouldn't believe them, feeling it _must_ be true. Next week the bloody Roll of Honour said "Wounded and missing"--(That's the thing to do When lads are left in shell-holes dying slow, With nothing but blank sky and wounds that ache, Moaning for water till they know It's night, and then it's not worth while to wake!) * * * * * Good-bye, old lad! Remember me to God, And tell Him that our Politicians swear They won't give in till Prussian Rule's been trod Under the Heel of England... Are you there? ... Yes ... and the War won't end for at least two years; But we've got stacks of men... I'm blind with tears, Staring into the dark. Cheero! I wish they'd killed you in a decent show. Siegfried Sassoon and....... Red November, black November, Bleak November, black and red. Hallowed month of labor’s martyrs, Labor’s heroes, labor’s dead. Labor’s wrath and hope and sorrow, Red the promise, black the threat, Who are we not to remember? Who are we to dare forget? Black and red the colors blended, Black and red the pledge we made, Red until the fight is ended, Black until the debt is paid. — By Ralph Chaplin
well the exam is now...well 10 mins but im off now woot! i actually love english exams...does this make me a loser ?
haha it went ok......not amazing but not too shabby...and now im eating nyummy pancakes how'd it go for the other lit. ers?
i got my poets mixed up!!! owen sassoon brookes and graves....gah! ah well...started off ok, then i think my brain got confused...extracts were fun to read...except vera brittain bores me a bit...nice irishy poem thing about cairns though...one down...4 more exams to go
3 for me....today its performance studies written...hurrah! political plays from the 1920's to present day and American Musicals from 1920- present day! woot! so that includes political plays like stuff happens, permanent way, accidental death of an anarchist and blue/orange...and musicals like westside story, showboat and oklahoma! woot woot bloody woot
meep merchant of venice and william blake tomorrow...el yay 'my daughter my ducats' 'my dearest means to your estate' 'tyger tyger burning bright...' uhoh i need to learn some quotes!
yeh i have othello and keats...eepums...this exam is my most important its tomow arrrrgh just had media is was ok i guess....
Time Will Always Tell (T.W.A.T) The cherry bomb tree arrest on the slope, The amber sky shifts round in bits, Then as i slide back my hat, i realise that, Today I've been sat here a while. With blue fists in pockets, Where are the rockets? As the sky is streak marbled in tracks, And with closed lids on eyes,i realise that Today I've been sat here a while. - Albee
ahh my brain. long long loooong 2 hours....hmmm got colour purple and oranges are not the only fruit comparisons on thursday arghhhhhhhh my brain wants to implode...explode...deplode...plode... ok this is offically the exam ranting thread! lolop.
